Gordon Banks, George Cohen, Jack Charlton, Bobby Moore, Ray Wilson, Alan Ball, Nobby Stiles, Bobby Charlton, Martin Peters, Roger Hunt, Geoff Hurst. It is still just those 11 men: immortal in one respect, though in another only Hurst is still with us. They remain the lone England men’s team to win a major trophy. There remain reasons that 1966, like 1066, seems a pivotal year in the country’s history. There has still been no repeat. Like Italy three years ago, Spain extended the English wait.

Jordan Pickford, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Marc Guehi, Luke Shaw, Declan Rice, Kobbie Mainoo, Bukayo Saka, Phil Foden, Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane couldn’t climb onto the pedestal with the 11 iconic figures; not even with the assistance of Ollie Watkins and Cole Palmer, who completed a remarkable, ridiculous season by becoming the fourth man to score for England in a major final. Yet only two, Hurst and Peters, did so in a winning cause.

England skipper Harry Kane admitted Euro 2024 final defeat by Spain was “as tough as it gets” after Mikel Oyarzabal grabbed a late winner in Berlin.

Oyarzabal came off the bench to fire the Spaniards to a 2-1 victory after fellow substitute Cole Palmer had cancelled out Nico Williams’ opener to extend England’s 58-year wait for a major trophy.

Asked for his reaction after the final whistle, Kane told BBC One: “Losing in a final is as tough as it gets. We did really well to get back into the game and get it back to 1-1, and then we couldn’t quite use that momentum to push on.”

The Henri Delaunay trophy indeed goes home, as Spain have now won it for a record fourth time. England’s years of hurt will go to 60 years, and at least the 2026 World Cup in America. Whether Gareth Southgate will still be there remains to be seen, after a defeat that was respectable but still reflected something bigger.

This wasn’t like Italy at Wembley in Euro 2020 in terms of a lost opportunity, but it was another lost game against the first elite side that Southgate’s team played. England are both so close, and yet still far away. The scoreline said enough, at a narrow 2-1, as substitute Mikel Oyarzabal scored by staying onside by a matter of centimetres. It is almost worse that it was so close. If Oyarzabal was an unlikely hero, Spain are far from unlikely champions. They have been the team of the tournament and deserving winners, both on the night and through the campaign. They really could have won by more.

“I was petrified of him coming home and killing me.” For Emma Armstrong, a survivor of domestic abuse, football went from an enjoyable pastime and hobby to something that even 11 years on has left its scars.

Emma went from a season-ticket holder at a Premier League club to someone who actively avoids the game and tries to distance herself from it because of the association between football and what she experienced.

Football is unavoidable, especially when England are in a major tournament, and it has a lasting impact far beyond the reaches of whether Gareth Southgate’s 26-man squad succeed or fail.

The Prince of Wales told England’s football team “we’re all still so proud of you” after they lost the Euro 2024 final to Spain.

William, who attended the match in Berlin alongside his son Prince George, said: “It just wasn’t meant to be.”

The England captain scored from the penalty spot against Netherlands in the semi-finals to add to his strikes against Denmark and Slovakia, and his total of three goals across the tournament was enough to top the charts along with Dani Olmo of Spain, Cody Gakpo of Netherlands, Jamal Musiala of Germany, Georgia’s Georges Mikautadze and Slovakia’s Ivan Schranz.

In years gone by, other qualifying criteria would then decide the prize: the top scorer with most assists claimed the award, with minutes played the next differentiator if players were still level.

“He brings a togetherness for a start. This group of lads are such a tight knit group.

“Since he has come in he has been the most successful England manager there is – he deserves a lot more praise than what he gets. I would have loved to win as he deserves it more than anyone.”

England lost a second successive European Championship final as Spain triumphed 2-1 in Berlin thanks to Mikel Oyarzabal’s late winner.

Despite their run to the showpiece match, Southgate has faced criticism through the tournament and his future is sure to come under scrutiny.

“I am very happy. This is a dream. I’m looking forward to returning to Spain and celebrating with all the fans. It’s the best birthday present ever.

“When England equalised, it was difficult. I don’t know what this team is made of, but we always manage to get back up.”